Blackwater Reservoir facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Blackwater Reservoir |
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 Blackwater Reservoir
Location in Highland
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| Location | Lochaber, Highland, Scotland |
| Coordinates | 56°41′N 4°46′W / 56.683°N 4.767°W |
| Lake type | Reservoir |
| Basin countries | Scotland |
The Blackwater Reservoir is a large lake created by a dam high up in the mountains of Scotland. It's located near Kinlochleven in the Scottish Highlands. This reservoir is very important because it helps make electricity for homes and industries. The dam itself is 914 metres (2,999 ft) long, making it the longest dam in the Highlands.
Contents
Building the Blackwater Dam
The Blackwater Dam and its hydroelectric system were built in the early 1900s. This huge project was started by the British Aluminium Company. Their main goal was to use the electricity to melt aluminium. Engineers Patrick Meik and Charles Meik designed this impressive system. William Halcrow was also a key engineer on the project.
How the Dam Was Built
The dam stands 27 metres (89 ft) tall and is located about 305 meters above sea level. The area where it was built was very rugged and difficult to access. Workers had to build 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) of concrete water channels, called aqueducts. They also laid nearly 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) of steel pipes, with six parallel lines.
Building the dam was an incredibly tough job. It was done mostly by hand, without the help of big machines like excavators. The workers who built it were known as 'navvies'. This project is often called the last major construction built in the traditional 'navvy' style.
Powering the Aluminium Industry
The main power station and the aluminium melting plant were built in Kinlochleven. This town is right next to a sea loch called Loch Leven. The electricity generated here was crucial for the aluminium industry.
Today, the power station still produces electricity. It helps power the aluminium smelter in Fort William. It also adds to the electricity supply from the nearby Lochaber hydroelectric scheme. Any extra electricity that isn't used by the smelter is sold to the national grid. This means it helps power homes and businesses across the country.
Remembering the Workers
Building the Blackwater Dam was a very challenging and dangerous task. Sadly, some workers lost their lives during the construction. Their graves are marked with concrete stones and can be found close to the dam.
During the First World War, German prisoners of war also helped with the project. They worked on laying a pipe down the hillside from the dam.
See also
- List of reservoirs and dams in the United Kingdom
